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Grammar Advanced TOPIK II · Level 5–6 Advanced Korean 2 · expression

이라고는

이라고는: As For… (Only) — Singled Out Under Emphasis

Expression: as for… (only) — singled out under emphasis, usually before scarce/negative (이라고는).

Before this, make sure you know: 은/는 vs 이/가 , 이라고

How to form it

When Form Example
Noun + 이라고는 / 라고는 N이라고는 / N라고는 친구라고는 / 돈이라고는
With scarce sequel …이라고는 …뿐 친구라고는 한 명뿐이에요

이라고는 (라고는) singles something out under emphasis — often before scarce/negative sequels.

Heavier than plain 은/는.

Why this is hard

It looks like quotation 이라고 plus topic 는. The package job is as for that label — (there’s barely any). Learners miss the scarce sequel habit.

What it does

친구라고는 한 명뿐이에요.
돈이라고는 거의 없어요.
취미라고는 잠자기뿐이에요.
자랑이라고는 없어요.

Front = singled-out label. Back = scarcity or denial.

Forms

Batchim N이라고는; vowel N라고는.

친구 → 친구라고는
돈 → 돈이라고는
취미 → 취미라고는

When not to use it

Do not use it as soft topic alone — 은/는.

Do not use it as bare quotation — 이라고.

Do not force cheerful abundant sequels as the default reading.

Neighbours — and why they differ

FormWhy it is not this slot
은/는General topic.
이라고Quotation / framing.
만Only — different restrict tool.

Ask: am I pointing at a label then saying scarce/none? If yes, 이라고는. If soft topic, 은/는.

If English wants as for friends, I only have…, you are here.

Do not confuse it with

은/는 vs 이/가

topic vs subject particles — communicative focus vs discourse framing

이라고

quoting a noun, or naming something

만

only, just — and why it takes a positive verb where 밖에 takes a negative

Taught alongside this

On the jabi learning path, this appears in 표현 (expression) — Advanced Korean 2, Unit 4, on the theme of expression. These come with it:

-기 일쑤이다 always ends up… — what commonly / habitually happens (-기(가) 일쑤이다) -기 짝이 없다 extremely… — so much there is no comparison 는 마당에 in a situation where… — given this awkward context -는 한이 있어도 even if it kills me… — willing to pay any cost -을 바에 given you are (doing) that — the situation of that act (often with a better alternative) -으려도 even if one tries to… — attempt that still fails or contrasts -으리라는 the idea that one will… — naming a future claim 를 막론하고 regardless of — without picking and choosing among that set -어 치우다 get it done fast — finishing off, often roughly -는다는 the… that says / that will — framing a quoted claim as a noun -는다던가1 is that the order…? — checking what you were told to do -으래서야 how can you only now…? — challenging the late order or claim -으리라고 that one will… — quoting a future claim -자면2 how about… / let's say… — suggesting a course

Words used above

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이라고는iragoneunas for… (only / emphatic)
라고는ragoneunafter vowel-final nouns
강조gangjoemphasis
한정hanjeongrestriction
뿐ppunonly — common sequel

Quick check

No sign-up, no score saved — just see if it stuck.

1. You are pointing at friends and saying there is only one. Not a soft topic, and not a quote. Which line?

2. Money is the label, and there is almost none. You are complaining, not quoting the word 돈. Which line?

3. The only hobby you will admit is sleeping. The sequel should be scarce, not a long list. Which line?

Common questions

Job?

Single out a noun under emphasis — often then say there is little of it.

Vs 은/는?

은/는 is the general topic. 이라고는 is sharper ‘as for that’.

Vs 이라고 quotation?

이라고 can quote. This package is emphatic restriction colour.

Register?

Complaint, self-deprecation, pointed contrast.